The Weekender: Taste Makers, Essentials, Curb Appeal, Front of the Line

TASTE MAKERS

Wagner dishes on his top tipples

Brock Wagner doesn’t always drink beer. But when the president of Houston-based Saint Arnold Brewing Co. does sip on something other than his own zesty product, he told HBJ that he has five recurring favorites in mind:

• Martini — Of course, I’m talking gin. Don’t even talk to me about making a martini with vodka. That’s not a martini.

• Margarita — We are in Houston, after all. I especially enjoy a margarita with Meyer lemons from the tree in our backyard.

• Laphraig Scotch — This is either love it or hate it. There is no in between. It smells like Band-Aids, but it is very flavorful. I don’t have it very often, but when I do, my wife can smell it rooms away.

• Saintsbury Pinot Noir — Saintsbury Vineyard is my cousin’s winery in Napa. We visit as often as we can, and he visits the brewery when he is on sales calls. And no, the winery’s name is not a reference to Saint Arnold, it was named in honor of George Saintsbury who wrote “Notes on a Cellar-Book.”

• Americano — It is made with Campari and sweet vermouth. Some make it with a little club soda, but I prefer it without the fizz and lots of rocks. I love that it’s refreshing and bittersweet.

FRONT OF THE LINE

That's no mechanical bull

Time to polish those alligator boots and put a fresh crease in the Levis to relive the rough-and-tumble long-neck glory days of Gilley’s, Pasadena’s infamous dance hall, when “Urban Cowboy: The Musical” comes to Miller Outdoor Theatre. Based on the 1980 film starring John Travolta (as Bud) and Debra Winger (as Sissy), the musical features old-school country songs from well-known artists, including Houston’s own Clint Black. Here’s how to skip the free-ticket scramble: For each $50 tax-deductible donation to Theater Under the Stars, you get two reserved seats under the covered pavilion. The show runs July 14-19. For reserved seats, contact Seth Malin at 713-558-2656, tuts.com.

Tech-savvy fashion

CURB APPEAL

Get plugged into the Nissan Leaf

Do I feel any difference driving a Nissan Leaf? Well, it’s certainly quiet. And people stare because my baby-blue tester has graphics that say “100 percent electric. Zero emissions.” Then, of course, there’s that fretting over the car’s range of only 100 miles between charges. But that’s about it. Otherwise, the Leaf is a pretty typical hatchback.

It’s powered by a lithium-ion battery pack (rather than the nickel-metal hydrides found in most hybrids) located under the seats, linked to an 80-kilowatt motor. That translates into 107 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque, giving the Leaf a bit of spunk (less so in Eco mode) and a top end of 90 mph. It has no engine noise and no tailpipe, nor will you need to fuss with oil changes or spark plugs.

Charging time depends on the system used. On a normal 110-volt home outlet, the Leaf takes 20 hours to charge, but a Level 2 home charging unit brings the time down to 8 hours. Commercial chargers, targeted for key interstate corridors, can do the job in just 30 minutes — with a $700 adapter.

Since there’s no traditional gasoline engine backup, the range data on the dashboard is critical. That limit may be hard for many Americans to accept, but research shows most stay within that daily driving range.

Even with the longer range, you have to charge up at some point, and the infrastructure is only in the beginning stages.

With a federal tax credit of $7,500, the Leaf goes for $26,130, putting it lower than the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid at $34,000. Standards include navigation and an Internet/smartphone connection. For an additional $950, the upgraded SL model has added features such as backup monitor, solar spoiler, fog lamps and automatic headlights.

The savings look even better this way: The EPA estimates the Leaf’s annual fuel cost estimate at $561, compared to $2,000 for Nissan’s compact gas-powered Versa. That difference could pay for a rental car to take a long-range road trip a couple of times a year.

Cathy Luebke is a former editor at Phoenix Business Journal • clariz@cox.net